Must Do Excursions from Leh

From Leh, travellers can head in several directions. North is the Nubra valley, with its crystal clear rivers, remote villages and miles of empty horizon to explore. Southeast is the famous Hemis monastery, with Thiksey and Shey gompas on the way; while the road southwest leads to Lamayuru, with Alchi, Phyang and Basgo en route. To the southwest is the district of Zanskar, even more remote and hard to traverse than Leh and its surroundings.

A drive southeast from Leh, on the Leh-Manali highway that runs more or less parallel to the Indus river, leads to two of the region's most celebrated monasteries, Thiksey and Hemis. Before either of these, however, come the two small villages of Stok and Shey, both with a palace and monastery each.

Stok and Shey are both about 15 kms from Leh, on the western and eastern banks of the Indus respectively. In 1834, when Leh was annexed by the armies of Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu, the royal Namgyal family abandoned the Leh Palace and moved to Stok. Even today, descendents of the Namgyals live in a wing of the Stok Palace. Most of its 80-odd rooms, however, are open to the public and reveal a treasure of thangkas, jewels, coins, costumes and more. The Namgyal crown, too, is displayed here.

Shey-Monastery-Leh

The Shey Palace is considerably older than Stok, dating to the rule of Deldan Namgyal in the early 17th century. Namgyal also built a stupa and monastery here. The stupa is one of the largest in Ladakh, with its top made of pure gold. The monastery enshrines an incredible three-storey — over 7 m — high statue of Sakyamuni Buddha. This magnificent image, with its elongated ears, beautifully shaped eyes and benevolent expression, was made of copper and then gilded. It is flanked by two smaller images of Sariputra and Maudgalayana, two of the Buddha's earliest disciples. A butter lamp burns all day and night before the Buddha.

The sightseeing in Leh Ladakh tour packages  also includes , Shah Hamdan mosque, one of the most revered Muslim shrines in the region.

Shah Hamdan Mosque

About 20 kms from Leh, the beautiful Thiksey gompa continues to house about 100 monks of the Gelugpa order. The monastery was built in ascending levels on a low hill in 1430, though it houses the ruins of a much older temple built by Rinchen Zangpo.

Thiksey Gompa 

One of the largest gompas in Ladakh, Thiksey resembles the Potala Palace in Tibet and, as a result, is sometimes called 'Mini Potala'. The enormous 12 m tall statue of Maitreya Buddha here is renowned across the world for its gilded features, the gem-studded jewels on its earlobes and around its neck, its elaborately carved crown and the enigmatic half-smile that reflects the deity's grace and divinity.

Equally stunning are the panoramic views from the top of the gompa, encompassing a 360-degree view of the Indus valley below, with its small plots of green stretching into the horizon, where the cloud-flecked sky of deep blue meets the grey mountains.

If you make a very early start from Leh, you can actually make it to Thiksey in time for morning prayers at 7:00 am, when the chanting of monks fills the thin air and silent landscape with its grave piety.

Just fewer than 10 kms west of Leh and perched atop a hill is Spituk gompa, looking as if it has grown out of the very rock, so closely do its walls resemble the craggy slopes beneath. This Gelugpa monastery was built in the 11th century and named 'Spituk' (or 'exemplary') because Rinchen Zangpo prophesied that an exemplary community of monks would be established here.For further information on travel in the area contact Swan Tours , One of the leading Travel agents in India.

Leh Ladakh Tour packages